FC Barcelona midfielder Pedri is not shy about Spain’s status as favorites at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. After reaching the quarterfinals to face Belgium, Pedri stated, “We said from the start that we came here to win it. We were tagged as favorites, and we had no problem accepting that. We are well aware that we are playing very well, but from now on, nothing is going to be handed to us.”
Spain defeated Portugal 1-0 in the round of 16 and have yet to concede a goal in the tournament. Pedri emphasized the team’s reliability and work ethic: “We have shown that we can be considered favorites, we are a very reliable team. Everyone works for the team, no one stops running, and that makes us a big family.”
Looking ahead to the match against Belgium – fresh from a decisive victory over the United States – Pedri highlighted Belgium’s quality players and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, calling him one of the best goalkeepers in the world. “It is always difficult to score against him, but we also have players who have already scored against him in La Liga, so we know him well,” he said.
Pedri expressed openness to a potential final against Lionel Messi’s Argentina but stressed the team’s immediate focus: “But first, we have to focus solely on Belgium and not get overconfident.”
